Eberron's League of Shadows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Eberron's League of Shadows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rekko
07-16-07, 06:06 PM I watched Batman Begins recently and I thought that the League of Shadows of the movie could become an interesting Eberron organisation. In the movie, the League of Shadows is an ancient order that fights against crime and corruption for greater justice and order. However, their methods are far uncommon. In their low profiles, they are fierce justiciars with no mercy for the criminal. In their higher schemes, they locate cities that are at their peek of corruption, the criminal hive, and infiltrate the criminal and corrupted ranks of authorities to seem panick and disruption to the cities heart so it destroys itself. They use sophisticated methods of infiltration and powerful engines of destruction.

There is plenty of grounds for such an organisation in Eberron to act. Sharn and a few other cities can be their favored target. Corruption comes with power and the agents of power in these times are no other than political and economic power. The League of Shadows could be closely watching the Dragonmarked Houses as well as Royal Families and other influent groups.

The League of Shadows... the Mark of Shadow... It is true that the Houses of Shadow have a talent for the kind of methods the League of Shadows are using, but I don't see how the Houses and the League could mix together. What would be the purpose of the Houses of Shadow to destroy cities? On the other hand, it was said that all Phiarlan high members escaped the destruction of Cyre... hum...

So, here's my point with this thread. Do you think that the Houses of Shadow (Phiarlan and Thuranni) could have created a League of Shadows so true justice and order prevails ? If yes. How? Why? What have they already done? etc. If not. Why? How would you include such organization in Eberron?

Rekko
gleicher27
07-16-07, 06:22 PM So, here's my point with this thread. Do you think that the Houses of Shadow (Phiarlan and Thuranni) could have created a League of Shadows so true justice and order prevails ? If yes. How? Why? What have they already done? etc. If not. Why? How would you include such organization in Eberron?

Hmmm...good question. My initial feeling is No on the House Thuranni and Phiarlan. Why ? Because I belive the elves have a more self serving interest for their house and for the respective arts. I also think they are more of in the spy buisness to get cash $$$ and to increase the influence and power of their houses. Would I include such an organization in Eberron ? Yes, but for me I would probably put it under the marshals of House Denneith.
anyways my $0.02
Fanatic66
07-16-07, 07:28 PM Personally if the League of Shadows was in Eberron I don't think any of the houses would want to do business with it. They're destroying cities which hurt the Houses' economy in most cases. I do like the idea of a League of Shadows though. Maybe keep it like the movie and have the group composed of people from all backgrounds like an international organization.

Or have it represent a darker side of the Silver Flame. Maybe the League could be a secret group of SF zealots who want to stop corruption and crime at whatever cost.

PS: Batman Begins rocks! :D
DwarfPcfan
07-18-07, 11:09 AM The first thing I'd suggest is to step away from the movie (wich was still very good) and go to the source, the comics!

The league of Shadows is the movie interpretation of Ras AL Ghul's organization, the demon hand/league of assassins.

As it stood under Ra's leadership ( he died in one story called Death and the Maidens). Ra's a Ghul was centry old patriarch of an organization called the league of asassins bent on purifying the world of crime, war, disease etc. As a villain Ras Al Ghul was compelling because his goals really were noble (one of the reasons Batman almost joined him on some occasions and that they had a strange relationship). Basically Ras Al Ghul came to the conclusion that only by reducing the world's population to a reasonable level and then to conquer it would he be able to save the planet and bring harmony to earth.

Other important notes was Ras Al Ghul's knowledge of occult facts, Islamic Alchemy, magic, etc. Most importantly his Lazarus pits that allowed him to regain his youth, ressurect, etc and live for centuries. Other's was his network of wealth, contacts and ressources that made all the Dc's BBEG jealous. thing was even if in himself Ras AL Ghul possessed no powers or whatever, the sheer weight of his organization, experience and intelligence he personally possessed, ruthlessness placed him as one of DC's heaviest hitters.

Now what does that tell us?. We have a old idealist, at the center of an immense web of ressources, centuries worth of occult knowledge and fanatical followers ready to sacrifice themselves for their demonhead. This tells me it might be interesting to place it as a of shoot of the Dhakani goblins in their later age (post war with the Daelkyr). Having seen the ravages of the human invasion, last war etc. A powerful and secretive organization from Dhaakan could be attempting to restore Khorvaire to what they perceive as greatest good for it's inhabitants with the leader at the center. All thing's perceive. There are other factors like certain parrallel's between the Sassanid Empires and Dhaakan (Remember Ras Al Ghul was Arab). Also it might prove fun to deviate from traditional hobgoblin roles into stealthier, more espionage oriented goblinoids.

Finally I suggest the following comics:
Tower of Babel
Death and the Maidens
Batman vs Ras AL Ghul Year One (not sure that's the title)
Son of the Demon
And so much more...

Have fun....
Rekko
07-18-07, 11:22 AM Love the Dhakaani League of Shadows. When I was reading the ECS for another thread, I stumbled on the Children of Winter who are similar to what we are trying to developp. Maybe the Children of Winter is a parallel organization to the Dhakanni League of Shadows, or it is a cell of this greater order.

Did you know it is hard to find old comic books these days and they can be quite costy? :P

Rekko
Fanatic66
07-18-07, 08:12 PM The first thing I'd suggest is to step away from the movie (wich was still very good) and go to the source, the comics!

The league of Shadows is the movie interpretation of Ras AL Ghul's organization, the demon hand/league of assassins.

As it stood under Ra's leadership ( he died in one story called Death and the Maidens). Ra's a Ghul was centry old patriarch of an organization called the league of asassins bent on purifying the world of crime, war, disease etc. As a villain Ras Al Ghul was compelling because his goals really were noble (one of the reasons Batman almost joined him on some occasions and that they had a strange relationship). Basically Ras Al Ghul came to the conclusion that only by reducing the world's population to a reasonable level and then to conquer it would he be able to save the planet and bring harmony to earth.

Other important notes was Ras Al Ghul's knowledge of occult facts, Islamic Alchemy, magic, etc. Most importantly his Lazarus pits that allowed him to regain his youth, ressurect, etc and live for centuries. Other's was his network of wealth, contacts and ressources that made all the Dc's BBEG jealous. thing was even if in himself Ras AL Ghul possessed no powers or whatever, the sheer weight of his organization, experience and intelligence he personally possessed, ruthlessness placed him as one of DC's heaviest hitters.

Now what does that tell us?. We have a old idealist, at the center of an immense web of ressources, centuries worth of occult knowledge and fanatical followers ready to sacrifice themselves for their demonhead. This tells me it might be interesting to place it as a of shoot of the Dhakani goblins in their later age (post war with the Daelkyr). Having seen the ravages of the human invasion, last war etc. A powerful and secretive organization from Dhaakan could be attempting to restore Khorvaire to what they perceive as greatest good for it's inhabitants with the leader at the center. All thing's perceive. There are other factors like certain parrallel's between the Sassanid Empires and Dhaakan (Remember Ras Al Ghul was Arab). Also it might prove fun to deviate from traditional hobgoblin roles into stealthier, more espionage oriented goblinoids.

Finally I suggest the following comics:
Tower of Babel
Death and the Maidens
Batman vs Ras AL Ghul Year One (not sure that's the title)
Son of the Demon
And so much more...

Have fun....

Nice . . . I can imagine a goblin League of Shadows/Assassins led by an immortal goblin leader (powerful monk?)

I still like the idea of a secret group of Silver Flame zealots believing they're saving the world from corruption and evil, though.
Rekko
07-19-07, 02:29 AM I still like the idea of a secret group of Silver Flame zealots believing they're saving the world from corruption and evil, though.

If the League of Shadows is a far-stretch relation organisation under the influence of some elder Dhakaani Hobgoblin, then maybe the Children of Winter and the Purge are only some of the cells of the greater order.

Rekko
DwarfPcfan
07-19-07, 09:26 AM Nice . . . I can imagine a goblin League of Shadows/Assassins led by an immortal goblin leader (powerful monk?)

I still like the idea of a secret group of Silver Flame zealots believing they're saving the world from corruption and evil, though.

I don't like the idea of an offshoot of the silver Flame for the league of assasins. First because everytime we think zealous idealists we think Silver Flame.
The Silver Flame aren't the only ones capable of Zealotry, dillousional idealism, etc.

That's something we need to remember. If the silver flame is always shown as dillusioned idealists then it pegs them into a role. Wich as itself is anti-eberron where you should expect the unexpected!

Hence I suggest Dhakani goblins...

that said pointing to the Children of Winter and their penchant for disease, etc to restore the natural cycle screams a few of the core concepts of Ras Al Ghul's history (As well as the comic Batman:Contagion, where Ras al Ghul uses an artifact called the wheel of Plagues to unleash a disease that makes Ebola look like a benign cold:eek: )

This gives me a few ideas with a druid that split centuries ago from all the current druid sects and formed his own group. Heck that could be combines with my Dhakani goblin idea in the sweaping history that led to the creation of the Eberron league of Assasins...
mrlost
07-19-07, 01:55 PM Love the Dhakaani League of Shadows. When I was reading the ECS for another thread, I stumbled on the Children of Winter who are similar to what we are trying to developp. Maybe the Children of Winter is a parallel organization to the Dhakanni League of Shadows, or it is a cell of this greater order.

Did you know it is hard to find old comic books these days and they can be quite costy? :P

Rekko

Amazon.com has most of them for less than $10 USD a pop if you don't mind a used copy, $20 if you want a mint in bag unless its signed. Where are you shopping? I'm sure you could get a better deal at a comic shop though. I bought the entire Vertigo swamp thing run for under fifty bucks last year from my Friendly Neighborhood Comic Shop/Gaming store.
Shady314
07-19-07, 08:47 PM I watched Batman Begins recently and I thought that the League of Shadows of the movie could become an interesting Eberron organisation. In the movie, the League of Shadows is an ancient order that fights against crime and corruption for greater justice and order. However, their methods are far uncommon. In their low profiles, they are fierce justiciars with no mercy for the criminal. In their higher schemes, they locate cities that are at their peek of corruption, the criminal hive, and infiltrate the criminal and corrupted ranks of authorities to seem panick and disruption to the cities heart so it destroys itself. They use sophisticated methods of infiltration and powerful engines of destruction.

There is plenty of grounds for such an organisation in Eberron to act. Sharn and a few other cities can be their favored target. Corruption comes with power and the agents of power in these times are no other than political and economic power. The League of Shadows could be closely watching the Dragonmarked Houses as well as Royal Families and other influent groups.

The League of Shadows... the Mark of Shadow... It is true that the Houses of Shadow have a talent for the kind of methods the League of Shadows are using, but I don't see how the Houses and the League could mix together. What would be the purpose of the Houses of Shadow to destroy cities? On the other hand, it was said that all Phiarlan high members escaped the destruction of Cyre... hum...

So, here's my point with this thread. Do you think that the Houses of Shadow (Phiarlan and Thuranni) could have created a League of Shadows so true justice and order prevails ? If yes. How? Why? What have they already done? etc. If not. Why? How would you include such organization in Eberron?

Rekko

I like the Dhakaani idea but I just wanted to say the League of Shadows can work with the House Phiarlan. Phiarlan isn't in the spy business for commercial success. I bet having a monopoly on entertainment pays much better anyways. They believe in balance. The Phiarlan Dragonshards shows us what their original mission statement was and FOW says Phiarlan was usually key to "settling" any issues of secession that could arise with the unusual way power was handed out.

So you could have some splinter group within (I wouldn't see it being official) that believes in extreme actions to keep the status quo and peace. Perhaps it was partly due to them Phiarlan ended up leaving Aerenal and coming to Khorvaire. Or they thought Khorvaire would be in need of the stability Aerenal seems to enjoy.

Centuries old leader? Check. Heck you could have a whole string of them and most of the followers too. That's got to be a help when setting up long term plans like destroying a city.
Vast resources with extensive underworld contacts and intelligence ability? Check.
Millenia of accumulated lore? Check.
Not many groups would have access to older arcane magic.

Etc.
ArcTan
07-19-07, 09:09 PM Despite the name, the House of Shadow has nothing to do with the League of Shadows. It's almost the opposite, in fact -- the Dragonmarked Houses are money-grubbing organizations who serve themselves first, while the League of Shadows was a bunch of self-destructive fanatical anarchists.

The Children of Winter, the Swords of Liberty, and some of the Cults of the Dragon Below make a far better League of Shadows analogue. Possibly also the Lord of Blades' followers, or certain rogue kalashtar.

(And it really depresses me that when people look for analogues between different fictional works they're often shallow enough to only focus on names.)
Shady314
07-20-07, 08:45 PM Despite the name, the House of Shadow has nothing to do with the League of Shadows.
Well obviously. The LoS doesn't technically exist in Eberron.

It's almost the opposite, in fact -- the Dragonmarked Houses are money-grubbing organizations who serve themselves first, while the League of Shadows was a bunch of self-destructive fanatical anarchists.

Dragonmarked show the houses are far more than that. They're made up of people and some of the houses struggle between using their powers and making a profit. Jorasco in particular.

The Children of Winter, the Swords of Liberty, and some of the Cults of the Dragon Below make a far better League of Shadows analogue. Possibly also the Lord of Blades' followers, or certain rogue kalashtar.
I don't think small cults and tiny terrorist cells are very similar to the LoS but it's just a matter of preference.

(And it really depresses me that when people look for analogues between different fictional works they're often shallow enough to only focus on names.)

What really depresses me are broad generalizations and a lack of imagination like saying...
the Dragonmarked Houses are money-grubbing organizations who serve themselves first, while the League of Shadows was a bunch of self-destructive fanatical anarchists.
:rolleyes:

I think I made my point clearly enough that the League of Shadows could be tied to the House. And no I wouldn't find it shocking that a splinter group of the House of Shadows would keep the "Shadow" moniker. It might not be the best fit but it's not so outrageous.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rekko 07-16-07, 06:06 PM	I watched Batman Begins recently and I thought that the League of Shadows of the movie could become an interesting Eberron organisation. In the movie, the League of Shadows is an ancient order that fights against crime and corruption for greater justice and order. However, their methods are far uncommon. In their low profiles, they are fierce justiciars with no mercy for the criminal. In their higher schemes, they locate cities that are at their peek of corruption, the criminal hive, and infiltrate the criminal and corrupted ranks of authorities to seem panick and disruption to the cities heart so it destroys itself. They use sophisticated methods of infiltration and powerful engines of destruction. There is plenty of grounds for such an organisation in Eberron to act. Sharn and a few other cities can be their favored target. Corruption comes with power and the agents of power in these times are no other than political and economic power. The League of Shadows could be closely watching the Dragonmarked Houses as well as Royal Families and other influent groups. The League of Shadows... the Mark of Shadow... It is true that the Houses of Shadow have a talent for the kind of methods the League of Shadows are using, but I don't see how the Houses and the League could mix together. What would be the purpose of the Houses of Shadow to destroy cities? On the other hand, it was said that all Phiarlan high members escaped the destruction of Cyre... hum... So, here's my point with this thread. Do you think that the Houses of Shadow (Phiarlan and Thuranni) could have created a League of Shadows so true justice and order prevails ? If yes. How? Why? What have they already done? etc. If not. Why? How would you include such organization in Eberron? Rekko
gleicher27 07-16-07, 06:22 PM	So, here's my point with this thread. Do you think that the Houses of Shadow (Phiarlan and Thuranni) could have created a League of Shadows so true justice and order prevails ? If yes. How? Why? What have they already done? etc. If not. Why? How would you include such organization in Eberron? Hmmm...good question. My initial feeling is No on the House Thuranni and Phiarlan. Why ? Because I belive the elves have a more self serving interest for their house and for the respective arts. I also think they are more of in the spy buisness to get cash $$$ and to increase the influence and power of their houses. Would I include such an organization in Eberron ? Yes, but for me I would probably put it under the marshals of House Denneith. anyways my $0.02
Fanatic66 07-16-07, 07:28 PM	Personally if the League of Shadows was in Eberron I don't think any of the houses would want to do business with it. They're destroying cities which hurt the Houses' economy in most cases. I do like the idea of a League of Shadows though. Maybe keep it like the movie and have the group composed of people from all backgrounds like an international organization. Or have it represent a darker side of the Silver Flame. Maybe the League could be a secret group of SF zealots who want to stop corruption and crime at whatever cost. PS: Batman Begins rocks! :D
DwarfPcfan 07-18-07, 11:09 AM	The first thing I'd suggest is to step away from the movie (wich was still very good) and go to the source, the comics! The league of Shadows is the movie interpretation of Ras AL Ghul's organization, the demon hand/league of assassins. As it stood under Ra's leadership ( he died in one story called Death and the Maidens). Ra's a Ghul was centry old patriarch of an organization called the league of asassins bent on purifying the world of crime, war, disease etc. As a villain Ras Al Ghul was compelling because his goals really were noble (one of the reasons Batman almost joined him on some occasions and that they had a strange relationship). Basically Ras Al Ghul came to the conclusion that only by reducing the world's population to a reasonable level and then to conquer it would he be able to save the planet and bring harmony to earth. Other important notes was Ras Al Ghul's knowledge of occult facts, Islamic Alchemy, magic, etc. Most importantly his Lazarus pits that allowed him to regain his youth, ressurect, etc and live for centuries. Other's was his network of wealth, contacts and ressources that made all the Dc's BBEG jealous. thing was even if in himself Ras AL Ghul possessed no powers or whatever, the sheer weight of his organization, experience and intelligence he personally possessed, ruthlessness placed him as one of DC's heaviest hitters. Now what does that tell us?. We have a old idealist, at the center of an immense web of ressources, centuries worth of occult knowledge and fanatical followers ready to sacrifice themselves for their demonhead. This tells me it might be interesting to place it as a of shoot of the Dhakani goblins in their later age (post war with the Daelkyr). Having seen the ravages of the human invasion, last war etc. A powerful and secretive organization from Dhaakan could be attempting to restore Khorvaire to what they perceive as greatest good for it's inhabitants with the leader at the center. All thing's perceive. There are other factors like certain parrallel's between the Sassanid Empires and Dhaakan (Remember Ras Al Ghul was Arab). Also it might prove fun to deviate from traditional hobgoblin roles into stealthier, more espionage oriented goblinoids. Finally I suggest the following comics: Tower of Babel Death and the Maidens Batman vs Ras AL Ghul Year One (not sure that's the title) Son of the Demon And so much more... Have fun....
Rekko 07-18-07, 11:22 AM	Love the Dhakaani League of Shadows. When I was reading the ECS for another thread, I stumbled on the Children of Winter who are similar to what we are trying to developp. Maybe the Children of Winter is a parallel organization to the Dhakanni League of Shadows, or it is a cell of this greater order. Did you know it is hard to find old comic books these days and they can be quite costy? :P Rekko
Fanatic66 07-18-07, 08:12 PM	The first thing I'd suggest is to step away from the movie (wich was still very good) and go to the source, the comics! The league of Shadows is the movie interpretation of Ras AL Ghul's organization, the demon hand/league of assassins. As it stood under Ra's leadership ( he died in one story called Death and the Maidens). Ra's a Ghul was centry old patriarch of an organization called the league of asassins bent on purifying the world of crime, war, disease etc. As a villain Ras Al Ghul was compelling because his goals really were noble (one of the reasons Batman almost joined him on some occasions and that they had a strange relationship). Basically Ras Al Ghul came to the conclusion that only by reducing the world's population to a reasonable level and then to conquer it would he be able to save the planet and bring harmony to earth. Other important notes was Ras Al Ghul's knowledge of occult facts, Islamic Alchemy, magic, etc. Most importantly his Lazarus pits that allowed him to regain his youth, ressurect, etc and live for centuries. Other's was his network of wealth, contacts and ressources that made all the Dc's BBEG jealous. thing was even if in himself Ras AL Ghul possessed no powers or whatever, the sheer weight of his organization, experience and intelligence he personally possessed, ruthlessness placed him as one of DC's heaviest hitters. Now what does that tell us?. We have a old idealist, at the center of an immense web of ressources, centuries worth of occult knowledge and fanatical followers ready to sacrifice themselves for their demonhead. This tells me it might be interesting to place it as a of shoot of the Dhakani goblins in their later age (post war with the Daelkyr). Having seen the ravages of the human invasion, last war etc. A powerful and secretive organization from Dhaakan could be attempting to restore Khorvaire to what they perceive as greatest good for it's inhabitants with the leader at the center. All thing's perceive. There are other factors like certain parrallel's between the Sassanid Empires and Dhaakan (Remember Ras Al Ghul was Arab). Also it might prove fun to deviate from traditional hobgoblin roles into stealthier, more espionage oriented goblinoids. Finally I suggest the following comics: Tower of Babel Death and the Maidens Batman vs Ras AL Ghul Year One (not sure that's the title) Son of the Demon And so much more... Have fun.... Nice . . . I can imagine a goblin League of Shadows/Assassins led by an immortal goblin leader (powerful monk?) I still like the idea of a secret group of Silver Flame zealots believing they're saving the world from corruption and evil, though.
Rekko 07-19-07, 02:29 AM	I still like the idea of a secret group of Silver Flame zealots believing they're saving the world from corruption and evil, though. If the League of Shadows is a far-stretch relation organisation under the influence of some elder Dhakaani Hobgoblin, then maybe the Children of Winter and the Purge are only some of the cells of the greater order. Rekko
DwarfPcfan 07-19-07, 09:26 AM	Nice . . . I can imagine a goblin League of Shadows/Assassins led by an immortal goblin leader (powerful monk?) I still like the idea of a secret group of Silver Flame zealots believing they're saving the world from corruption and evil, though. I don't like the idea of an offshoot of the silver Flame for the league of assasins. First because everytime we think zealous idealists we think Silver Flame. The Silver Flame aren't the only ones capable of Zealotry, dillousional idealism, etc. That's something we need to remember. If the silver flame is always shown as dillusioned idealists then it pegs them into a role. Wich as itself is anti-eberron where you should expect the unexpected! Hence I suggest Dhakani goblins... that said pointing to the Children of Winter and their penchant for disease, etc to restore the natural cycle screams a few of the core concepts of Ras Al Ghul's history (As well as the comic Batman:Contagion, where Ras al Ghul uses an artifact called the wheel of Plagues to unleash a disease that makes Ebola look like a benign cold:eek: ) This gives me a few ideas with a druid that split centuries ago from all the current druid sects and formed his own group. Heck that could be combines with my Dhakani goblin idea in the sweaping history that led to the creation of the Eberron league of Assasins...
mrlost 07-19-07, 01:55 PM	Love the Dhakaani League of Shadows. When I was reading the ECS for another thread, I stumbled on the Children of Winter who are similar to what we are trying to developp. Maybe the Children of Winter is a parallel organization to the Dhakanni League of Shadows, or it is a cell of this greater order. Did you know it is hard to find old comic books these days and they can be quite costy? :P Rekko Amazon.com has most of them for less than $10 USD a pop if you don't mind a used copy, $20 if you want a mint in bag unless its signed. Where are you shopping? I'm sure you could get a better deal at a comic shop though. I bought the entire Vertigo swamp thing run for under fifty bucks last year from my Friendly Neighborhood Comic Shop/Gaming store.
Shady314 07-19-07, 08:47 PM	I watched Batman Begins recently and I thought that the League of Shadows of the movie could become an interesting Eberron organisation. In the movie, the League of Shadows is an ancient order that fights against crime and corruption for greater justice and order. However, their methods are far uncommon. In their low profiles, they are fierce justiciars with no mercy for the criminal. In their higher schemes, they locate cities that are at their peek of corruption, the criminal hive, and infiltrate the criminal and corrupted ranks of authorities to seem panick and disruption to the cities heart so it destroys itself. They use sophisticated methods of infiltration and powerful engines of destruction. There is plenty of grounds for such an organisation in Eberron to act. Sharn and a few other cities can be their favored target. Corruption comes with power and the agents of power in these times are no other than political and economic power. The League of Shadows could be closely watching the Dragonmarked Houses as well as Royal Families and other influent groups. The League of Shadows... the Mark of Shadow... It is true that the Houses of Shadow have a talent for the kind of methods the League of Shadows are using, but I don't see how the Houses and the League could mix together. What would be the purpose of the Houses of Shadow to destroy cities? On the other hand, it was said that all Phiarlan high members escaped the destruction of Cyre... hum... So, here's my point with this thread. Do you think that the Houses of Shadow (Phiarlan and Thuranni) could have created a League of Shadows so true justice and order prevails ? If yes. How? Why? What have they already done? etc. If not. Why? How would you include such organization in Eberron? Rekko I like the Dhakaani idea but I just wanted to say the League of Shadows can work with the House Phiarlan. Phiarlan isn't in the spy business for commercial success. I bet having a monopoly on entertainment pays much better anyways. They believe in balance. The Phiarlan Dragonshards shows us what their original mission statement was and FOW says Phiarlan was usually key to "settling" any issues of secession that could arise with the unusual way power was handed out. So you could have some splinter group within (I wouldn't see it being official) that believes in extreme actions to keep the status quo and peace. Perhaps it was partly due to them Phiarlan ended up leaving Aerenal and coming to Khorvaire. Or they thought Khorvaire would be in need of the stability Aerenal seems to enjoy. Centuries old leader? Check. Heck you could have a whole string of them and most of the followers too. That's got to be a help when setting up long term plans like destroying a city. Vast resources with extensive underworld contacts and intelligence ability? Check. Millenia of accumulated lore? Check. Not many groups would have access to older arcane magic. Etc.
ArcTan 07-19-07, 09:09 PM	Despite the name, the House of Shadow has nothing to do with the League of Shadows. It's almost the opposite, in fact -- the Dragonmarked Houses are money-grubbing organizations who serve themselves first, while the League of Shadows was a bunch of self-destructive fanatical anarchists. The Children of Winter, the Swords of Liberty, and some of the Cults of the Dragon Below make a far better League of Shadows analogue. Possibly also the Lord of Blades' followers, or certain rogue kalashtar. (And it really depresses me that when people look for analogues between different fictional works they're often shallow enough to only focus on names.)
Shady314 07-20-07, 08:45 PM	Despite the name, the House of Shadow has nothing to do with the League of Shadows. Well obviously. The LoS doesn't technically exist in Eberron. It's almost the opposite, in fact -- the Dragonmarked Houses are money-grubbing organizations who serve themselves first, while the League of Shadows was a bunch of self-destructive fanatical anarchists. Dragonmarked show the houses are far more than that. They're made up of people and some of the houses struggle between using their powers and making a profit. Jorasco in particular. The Children of Winter, the Swords of Liberty, and some of the Cults of the Dragon Below make a far better League of Shadows analogue. Possibly also the Lord of Blades' followers, or certain rogue kalashtar. I don't think small cults and tiny terrorist cells are very similar to the LoS but it's just a matter of preference. (And it really depresses me that when people look for analogues between different fictional works they're often shallow enough to only focus on names.) What really depresses me are broad generalizations and a lack of imagination like saying... the Dragonmarked Houses are money-grubbing organizations who serve themselves first, while the League of Shadows was a bunch of self-destructive fanatical anarchists. :rolleyes: I think I made my point clearly enough that the League of Shadows could be tied to the House. And no I wouldn't find it shocking that a splinter group of the House of Shadows would keep the "Shadow" moniker. It might not be the best fit but it's not so outrageous.